The 2014 Little Easy Bean Network - Get New Beans On The Cheap

[897tgigvib]

@Bluejay77 I'll be mailing you 2 boxes of beans tomorrow when I go to town. Got them all packed and ready to go.

@buckabucka An envelope of Bean seeds will be mailed to you tomorrow as well. Included are most of the beautiful Buxton Buckshot seeds I grew this year. She really needs a cooler climate like you have in Maine. Also included are some Hanna Hank and a few others. I also made you a mix of outcrosses for you to have some fun with. Maybe you'll come up with some cooler summer adapted varieties.

@ninnymary I'll put together 6 of those Nippersink outcross white and black seeds to send you as well.
I think I have your mailing address somewhere, but if you message me with it it'd be quicker.

I'd like to send @journey some beans too. Let me know what your wish list might be.

There are some others...

@digits I have several dry bean varieties mrs. digit might like. Pretty sure those Eclipse Moon will be flavorful black beans for frijole and rice recipes.

 

[ninnymary]

Thanks Marshall. I'll pm you my address. Just don't send too many, 6 is perfect.

Mary

 

[buckabucka]

Thanks @marshallsmyth !
I'll look forward to receiving them.

 

[journey11]

@marshallsmyth , I'd be tickled pink with any you'd like to send. You mentioned you had some other Appalachian types. Anything pretty or exciting? Or anything you'd like to see increased? I have a few to send you as well. I have lost your address though.

 

[897tgigvib]

Howdy @journey11 Yep, got some Appalachian types for ya.

I got such a small production from Long Tom, which makes large, thick, and dense snap beans, that I'd like to see if you can get a better increase from them than me. They're pole beans, and ya know, the beans have this real cool orange color.

Are you growing Weaver yet? Oh, those units are big pods, and as they get ready for eating stage, they get puffy looking and super tender. Ya know, that stage when the beans inside them are starting to grow, ready for slicing up and cooking with bacon, make breakfast with it that'll put some meat on yer ribs.

One of the African varieties, Witsa, turns out to be an Appalachian type of bean too! Makes real long, slow growing pods, that once they get to length, wait on it..., then there it is, that puffy stage. Tender as can be! I'm thinking tender enough to slice into pieces, mix in with yer pancake batter(!), and tell the kids you added candy to their pancakes!

Did I send you any Snow Star yet? She's one of Nova Star's daughter varieties, and so far, 2 generations breeding true, (but keep an eye out for late segregations). Makes nice semi greasy pods. Good looking pure white seeds similar to Senate Soup.

I have so many segregations of outcrosses to grow out, some of which had such a hard time in our drought and heat, that I'd like to send you some, those which will do well in your garden. You have warm to hot summers, with moist air? And y'all get some summer rains over there?

Do you ever pickle beans? Cuz if you do, I have a couple of new outcross segregations making what should be awesome wax bean picklers. Thinking dill, not sweet... They'll be needing increasing cuz folks are gonna be wanting that variety, maybe even for Kosher.

I'll be going to town today to send out the packages I've already made, and to get more bubble wrapped envelopes, and will get to work on making yours ready when I get back.

 

[journey11]

Howdy @journey11 Yep, got some Appalachian types for ya.

I got such a small production from Long Tom, which makes large, thick, and dense snap beans, that I'd like to see if you can get a better increase from them than me. They're pole beans, and ya know, the beans have this real cool orange color.

Are you growing Weaver yet? Oh, those units are big pods, and as they get ready for eating stage, they get puffy looking and super tender. Ya know, that stage when the beans inside them are starting to grow, ready for slicing up and cooking with bacon, make breakfast with it that'll put some meat on yer ribs.

One of the African varieties, Witsa, turns out to be an Appalachian type of bean too! Makes real long, slow growing pods, that once they get to length, wait on it..., then there it is, that puffy stage. Tender as can be! I'm thinking tender enough to slice into pieces, mix in with yer pancake batter(!), and tell the kids you added candy to their pancakes!

Did I send you any Snow Star yet? She's one of Nova Star's daughter varieties, and so far, 2 generations breeding true, (but keep an eye out for late segregations). Makes nice semi greasy pods. Good looking pure white seeds similar to Senate Soup.

I have so many segregations of outcrosses to grow out, some of which had such a hard time in our drought and heat, that I'd like to send you some, those which will do well in your garden. You have warm to hot summers, with moist air? And y'all get some summer rains over there?

Do you ever pickle beans? Cuz if you do, I have a couple of new outcross segregations making what should be awesome wax bean picklers. Thinking dill, not sweet... They'll be needing increasing cuz folks are gonna be wanting that variety, maybe even for Kosher.

I'll be going to town today to send out the packages I've already made, and to get more bubble wrapped envelopes, and will get to work on making yours ready when I get back.

Yeah, that's the most notable thing about those Appalachian beans, keeping tender long after the beans begin to develop in the pod. It made for a better source of valuable protein back in the day, cooked up as shelley beans or as "leather britches" (strung up and dried, then soaked and cooked as green beans again). I'm gonna have to try those leather britches after reading about how yummy they are supposed to be cooked with bacon drippings or ham. I can't imagine eating beans for breakfast, but did read that it was common practice by KY old timers in Bill Best's book. There's quite a bit of cultural difference between KY and WV traditions, more than you'd think. I believe it's because WV was more industrialized (used to be the chemical producing capital of the nation and lots of plant jobs). KY was and still is all about the coal mines. All the Appalachian heirlooms I know of from WV originated in the southern part of the state, also coal country and more geographically isolated. My grandparents don't recall much in the way of heirloom veggies. Everybody was in a hurry to modernize and both of my grandmas and DH's too speak of the family farm with contempt, were quick to adopt easier modern ways of doing everything. What gardening was done utilized the new hybrid varieties. I don't know how far back you'd have to go in my lineage to find any family heirloom veggies.

When I can mine though, maybe a fifth of the jar is comprised of the shelley beans. The kids love 'em. Hope they'll like them well enough to continue growing them for me some day.

I don't have Weaver or Snow Star or any of those you just mentioned there. Our summers run 80's-90's, generally humid and rain can be usually be counted on--or too much. The pole beans really are easier for me to grow. Bush beans take a little more vigilance on my part to get good dry beans. Timing can be sketchy, if they're maturing while touching the wet ground. Raised beds for the bush beans gave me much better results last year.

 

[flowerweaver]

Counting the days until I can plant beans...about 76! Last week we tilled the fields where we'll plant them, both bush and pole. There's one more new field for pole beans yet to be tilled. That leaves time to rework the rabbit/armadillo fences and get irrigation and structures in place. Keep me in mind for any beans that need a longer season, or are just looking for a good home

 

[journey11]

Counting the days until I can plant beans...about 76! Last week we tilled the fields where we'll plant them, both bush and pole. There's one more new field for pole beans yet to be tilled. That leaves time to rework the rabbit/armadillo fences and get irrigation and structures in place. Keep me in mind for any beans that need a longer season, or are just looking for a good home

That's a good idea...a garden advent calendar! I definitely need one of those. It doesn't sound quite so far off when you put a number to it.

 

[flowerweaver]

@journey11 Oooh, and I could see one where in every little pocket there is a surprise packet of BEANS! My husband is very glad I am not into expensive jewelry. He knows if he gave me jewels I would hock them for seeds!

 

[journey11]

That would be awesome.